256 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 



1. DIANTHERA L. 

 1, Diantliera americana L. Water willow. 



In water; common. June-July. Eastern U. S. 



2. RTTELLIA L, Ruellia. 



Calyx lobes linear-lanceolate, nearly or quite as long as the corolla tube. 



1. R. strepens. 

 Calyx lobes very narrow, almost bristle-like, usually shorter than the corolla tube. 



2. R. carollniensis. 



1. Ruellia strepens L. 



Woods or low ground along the upper Potomac. May-June. Eastern U. S. 



2. Ruellia carolinieusis (Walt.) Steud. 



Dry or moist woods or thickets; frequent. June-Aug. Eastern U. S.. (i?. ciliosa 

 Pursh.) 



Most of our material is the form known as R. ciliosa parvijlora (Nees) Britton (R. 

 parviflora Britton), but it seems to differ in no essential character from the typical 

 form, and scarcely deserves nomenclatorial recognition. 



142. PHEYMACEAE. Lopseed Family. 



1. PHRYMA L. 

 1. Phryma leptostachya L. Lopseed. 



Banks and thickets; not uncommon. July. Eastern N. Amer. ; also in Asia. 



143. PLANTAGINACEAE. Plantain Family. 



1. PLANTAGO L. Plantain. 



Bracts of the spikes much longer than the flowers. Plants copiously pubescent; 



leaves linear or uearlj' so; corolla lobes spreading 1. P. aristata. 



Bracts shorter than the flowers. 

 Leaves linear; plants 3-10 cm. high, minutely hairy. Corolla lobes erect and 



closed over the fruit 2. P. pusilla. 



Leaves lance-elliptic to broadly oval or oval-ovate; plants usually more than 10 

 cm. high. 

 Leaves copiously hairy. Seeds 2 in each capsule. 

 Corolla lobes erect in age; leaves obovate or oblong-obovate, obtuse; plants 



annual 3. P. virginica. 



Corolla lobes spreading or recun'ed; leaves lance-elliptic, acute or acuminate; 



plants perennial 4. P. lanceolata. 



Leaves glabrous or nearly so, broadly ovate, oval, or rounded-ovate. Corolla 

 lobes spreading or reflexed; plants perennial. 

 Ribs, at least the upper ones, of the leaves arising from the midrib; leaves 

 often cordate at the base; capsule 2 or 4-seeded, dehiscent at the middle. 



5. P. cordata. 

 Ribs of the leaves distinct, none arising from the midrib; leaves never cordate; 

 seeds 4-18. 



Capsule circumscissile near the middle, broadly ovoid 6. P. major. 



Capsule circumscissile much below the middle, cylindric 7. P. rugelii. 



1. Plantago aristata Michx. Bottle-beush Plantain. 

 Open fields or dry soil; common. May- July. Central and western LT. S.; adven- 



tive eastward. 



2. Plantago pusilla Nutt. 



Two collections of this from Washington are found in the National Herbarium: 

 one, collected by Tweedy in 1886, is labeled "Near Washington"; another was col- 

 lected by Ward at the southwest corner of the Soldiers' Home grounds, May 20, 1883. 

 Eastern U. S. 



